Venezuela is considered a gastronomically rich country due to its cultural diversity and the wide variety of ingredients and dishes available in the country.
Venezuelan food combines indigenous, Spanish and African influences, and is characterized by dishes such as pabellón criollo, arepas, asado negro and hallacas. In addition, Venezuela is rich in natural resources such as fruits, vegetables, and meats, which allows for a wide variety of dishes.
Some of the characteristics that make Venezuelan arepas unique in the world are:
The type of corn used in Venezuela is “masarepa”, which is finer and softer than the corn used in other parts of the world. The elaboration process of the Venezuelan arepas is very specific and is characterized by a mixture of cornmeal with water, salt and grated cheese, then it is cooked on the grill or in the oven. Venezuelan arepas have a variety of fillings, from meat, cheese, plantain, avocado, to vegetarian and vegan, which makes them very versatile and adapted to different tastes.
In addition, arepas have a great cultural value in Venezuela, since they are part of the daily meal and are related to family, friends and traditions.
Venezuelan arepas are believed to date back to their pre-Columbian indigenous people, who already prepared them with ground corn before the arrival of the Spanish. Over time, arepas became a staple food for the inhabitants of these regions and have become a symbol of their culture and gastronomy.
In Venezuela, arepas are considered an everyday food, and are often served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. They can be filled with a variety of ingredients, such as cheese, meat, fish, chicken, avocado, and ripe plantain. In addition, it is considered a great food to share, and it is very common for families and friends to share an arepa.
One of the typical preparations is the arepa pepiada. The arepa pepiada is a Venezuelan arepa filled with shredded chicken and mayonnaise. It is prepared by first cooking the chicken and then mixing it with mayonnaise, onion, cilantro and other ingredients that may vary according to preference.
Then take a portion of precooked arepa dough and open it in the shape of a disc, place the chicken mixture in the center and close the arepa to form a ball. Finally, it is cooked in a pan with oil until golden brown.
